The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is using a bespoke remote working system to allow staff and partners access to critical patient records.

The web-based platform is based on a Citrix environment and will enable staff at Kingston Hospital to have access to Royal Marsden's applications and outpatient information.

Security for the system is based on access levels and whether the information is being accessed from a laptop or desktop computer.

Although the introduction of a remote tool was already underway, the process was accelerated when surgeons needed to access information from nearby hospitals after a fire at the Trust's Chelsea site in January. The system went live two months later.

Initially, 30 staff will use the system and the Trust aims to extend the rollout to another 120 employees by year-end.

"Previously, enabling healthcare professionals at new sites such as Kingston to have access to Royal Marsden applications was a time-consuming, complex and arduous process," said Jon Reed, director of ICT at Royal Marsden.

"We have been able to create a secure remote environment that enables clinicians to access the applications they require, but at the same time enforce the highest level of security for confidential patient records."

The system was designed by virtualisation consultancy Centralis.